FOUR STEEL PLAYERS EARN END-OF-SEASON HONORS

By Chicago Steel, 04/23/19, 12:15PM CDT

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Abruzzese, Pietroniro, Mastrosimone, Power Named to Different All-USHL Teams

GENEVA, ILLINOIS — The United States Hockey League (USHL) announced Tuesday several end-of-season awards including the All-USHL and All-Rookie teams, recognizing four Steel players for their play during the 2018-2019 campaign.

Forward Nick Abruzzese was named to the All-USHL First Team with defenseman Matteo Pietroniro and forward Robert Mastrosimone receiving Second and Third Team honors, respectively. Sixteen-year-old defenseman Owen Power was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

Nick Abruzzese – All-USHL First Team

The USHL-leading scorer earned a spot on the All-USHL First Team after finishing the regular season with 80 points (29-51-80) in 62 games. The 80-point total was the second-best scoring season by a Steel forward in franchise history, only two points behind Andrew Miller, who was named to the All-USHL First Team during the 2008-2009 season. Abruzzese, a Harvard University commit, is just the 13th player in USHL Tier I history to record 80-or-more points in a season and the first to do so in the last three seasons.

Abruzzese also set a single-season franchise record with his 51 assists this season, one more than Miller had in 2008-2009. This is the sixth time in Chicago franchise history that a member of the Steel has been named to the All-USHL First Team including Jack Dugan and Graham Lillibridge in 2017-2018.

On March 8, Abruzzese became just the third player in franchise history to record 100 points with the Steel and is third all-time with 116 points. Abruzzese’s 74 career assists and 42 career goals are third and fifth, respectively in team history. The second-year forward was named USHL Forward of the Week twice this season.

Matteo Pietroniro – All-USHL Second Team

Chicago Steel captain Matteo Pietroniro shattered Steel goal scoring records for a defenseman this season as he recorded a single-season record 18 goals this season. Pietroniro’s 18 goals this season is tied for 7th most goals by a defenseman in a single USHL season in Tier I history.

Pietroniro’s 18 goals this season matches John Moore and Kevin Roeder’s 18 career goals, which are tied for second in franchise history behind Pietroniro’s 27 career goals. Pietroniro finished second all-time for the Steel in points by a defenseman with 70, three shy of Graham Lillibridge’s 73. The second-year defenseman tallied 30 assists this season, which was third-best in team history and his 44 career assists sits fourth for defensemen in Steel history.

Pietroniro was named USHL Defenseman of the Week once this season on January 28. He is the first Steel player to be named to the All-USHL Second Team.

Robert Mastrosimone – All-USHL Third Team

Mastrosimone, a Boston University commit, scored his 47th career goal on April 12 – making him the most prolific goal scorer in Chicago Steel history. Mastrosimone scored 31 goals this season, tying him for second-best in a single season by a Steel player, just one behind Miller’s 32 in 2008-2009.

Like Abruzzese, Mastrosimone recorded his 100th point with the Steel this season, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to do so. He finished the season with 106 career points, which is fourth in team history. His 47 career goals is first and 58 assists tied for seventh in team history.

On February 2, Mastrosimone scored a between-the-legs goal against the Youngstown Phantoms that landed him at #5 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays of the night. Mastrosimone’s goal came as part of a 4-0 win over the Phantoms on Chicago Blackhawks Night at Fox Valley Ice Arena.

Mastrosimone becomes just the second Steel player to be named to the All-USHL Third Team and first since Mason Bergh in 2014-2015.

Owen Power – USHL All-Rookie Second TeaRookie defenseman Owen Power was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team after a record season for the Mississauga, Ontario native. Power scored 11 goals this season after entering the league as a 15-year-old. Power’s 11 goals are the most ever scored by a 16-year old defenseman in USHL history and his 25 points are second-most for a 16-year old. Power finished fourth among defensemen in the USHL with 11 goals this season.

Single game tickets for the best-of-five Eastern Conference Semifinals are on sale now. The series is currently tied 1-1, and if a Game 5 is needed, it will be Saturday, April 27 at 7:05 p.m. at Fox Valley Ice Arena. All Steel games are broadcast live on HockeyTV (video) and mixlr.com/chicago-steel (free audio).

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.